


The Last Moment

by Herald_of_Dreams



Series: Star Wars Tales [18]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy
Genre: Angst, Drabble, Drama, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-06-03
Updated: 2013-06-03
Packaged: 2017-12-13 19:37:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 510
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/828061
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Herald_of_Dreams/pseuds/Herald_of_Dreams
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Written in 2005. Anakin Skywalker and the last victim of Order 66.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Last Moment

Anakin, no, Lord Vader, considered the blood spatters on his hands. The blood of innocents, the blood of the young and old alike, the blood of his former companions and fellow Jedi. He would be glad, but at the same time, sad that it was so close to the end of this day. After all, it was the first day as a Dark Lord of the Sith, and the last day the Jedi would be alive to fear him. He, their Chosen One, the one who had turned on them and now murdered them face-to-face.

He only hoped that this day would end with the blood of Obi-Wan. That would be his dream. His former master, holding him back for so many years, would be the one to feel his apprentice's saber at his throat. Anakin knew exactly what he was going to say. He would smile at Obi-Wan in that cruel smirk that was his and say, "This is for holding me back."

He strode down the hall, then paused, feeling a Force-presence that was strong in the light. He turned to his left, and was startled to see that there was nobody there. He looked down when he heard a sob of fear, and found himself looking at a little girl, brown eyes wide with alarm and sorrow, short brown hair just long enough to touch her shoulders.

She reminded him of Padmè in a way. The softness of her eyes, the hair. He sought to remember the little girl's name and then he smiled. Atiana, that was it. She was from Corellia, and was an orphan.

"Hello Atiana," he said to the little girl.

"Master Skywalker, what is going on? Why are so many of the Jedi dead?" The little girl's lips quivered.

How to explain murder to a child? "There was a revolt against Palpatine," he lied, hoping the child was not strong enough to detect it.

The little girl instead asked, "Where will I go?"

"To a safe place, a happy one," Anakin said, surprised to feel tears springing up in the corners of his eyes.

"That's good. Will you come with me?"

"Maybe I will, little one."

He took her hand and she smiled up at him, then started to skip ahead of him, brown curls bouncing. She turned to him, smiling and batting her long brown lashes, and Anakin waited until the little girl had turned to reach out with the Force and snap her neck.

Tears openly streamed down his face as he went to the little girl's body and closed the brown eyes. He carried her out of the ruined temple and covered her body with a rock cairn. He murmured to her, "I hope you meet Qui-Gon, little one."

After Palpatine's transmission arrived telling him to go to Mustafar, Anakin thought, _You have your Dark Lord, Master, but I will never again murder children._

It was Lord Vader, not Anakin Skywalker, who left the burning temple for his wife's apartment.

Anakin was in that safe happy place with little Atiana.


End file.
